A Thousand More
by Jenn0509
Summary: Sequel to A Thousand Years. Anika Mikaelson thought she knew Matt Donovan, thought she knew how the world worked. She was wrong. He's only human, after all, and with her family, humans don't stick around for long. There are others for her to look after now, her niece Hope, and her son. A new generation of Mikaelson's is emerging as dark secrets from her siblings pasts are exposed.
1. Chapter 1

Happy New Year everyone! New Year, New Story...Sort of! This is the sequel to A Thousand Years, so if you haven't read that one, do so first or this will be fairly confusing! This chapter picks up just over a week after A Thousand Years ended. Just for bench marking reference, we are currently in the middle of VD season six and the start of TO season two. This was originally one super long chapter, but I decided to split it. So the next chapter is almost finished as well!

Enjoy!

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Anika was trembling in excitement as she walked through the streets of Mystic Falls, and nearly screamed in frustration when the Sheriff stopped her, "Anika?"

She waved weakly, her heart telling her to brush off the woman and run to Mathias. Her rigid upbringing, however, dictated that she be cordial, "Hello, Sheriff Forbes."

"Hi, uh, I didn't know you were back in town." The Sheriff seemed uneasy, her hand twitching at her side as she scanned the area around them with sharp eyes.

Anika nodded, "Just for day. I'm surprising Matt." She hesitated, "I'm alone, by the way."

Liz smiled, laughing as her tension eased, "Oh, I'm sure he'll be glad to see you."

If Anika didn't tell someone, she'd burst. "I hope so, I've got some rather big news."

Liz Forbes stared at where the younger woman had a hand on her stomach, "You're..."

Anika cut her off, not wanting the news to travel on the winds. They were in a very public space after all, "Yes, and I wanted to tell him in person. Do you know where I might find him? The dome around this place is hampering me more than I'd assumed."

"He's, uh, probably in the Community Protection Program main office, just down the street." Liz informed her, an easy smile inching its way across her face.

Anika frowned, trying to remember if Matt had ever mentioned such a thing, "The Community Protection Program?"

Liz nodded, "It's been a thing since the whole deal with the Travelers. Matt's a part of it," She studied Anika, "I would have thought he would have told you that's how he's been spending most of his time."

Anika sighed, looking over at a wilting flower and wishing she could use her magic to heal it, it might make her feel a little better and less guilty about how unengaged she'd been in her husband's life since he'd left her in New Orleans. "We haven't really been talking much in the last couple months. We have disagreements about my family."

Liz grimaced, "I'm real sorry to hear that. I'm assuming that's why you've come to tell him in person about your…"

"Exactly." Anika whispered, "I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm excited and I hope he's excited, and I hope things change. I really want to make it work."

Liz smiled knowingly at her, "No one wants a marriage to fail. I don't think Matt has eyes for any girl besides you, so as long as you're both willing, you should be able to patch things up." She too looked down, "You're only in trouble when one of you gives up." Liz sighed heavily, flashing a quick smile at Anika, "Like I said, you should be able to patch things up. I'll let you go see him. Congratulations."

Anika smiled back at her, "Thank you."

Liz hesitated suddenly, holding a hand out, "Hey, just be careful around here. Mystic Falls has been a little weirder than usual since the Travelers. Tread lightly, Anika."

Anika nodded, "I will. Won't be staying long anyway. I'm hoping Matt will come with me." She gestured with on hand, "I can't handle feeling so disconnected to my…inner self."

Understanding dawned on Liz's face, "That's probably for the best. Let me know if you need anything, and if you happen to see Caroline, tell her I need to talk to her about the girl from this morning. I'm sure she'll understand. I'd say more, but…"

"Of course, I get it. I'll let her know. It was great to see you Sheriff Forbes, thanks for your help." Anika told the woman, heading down the street until she found a brick building with a sign advertising that the Community Protection Program resided inside.

Anika walked into the building, and could hear Matt's voice almost instantly. She followed it down the hallways, and smiled when she strode into an office. Matt had his back to the door, but the man sitting at the desk saw her and scowled, "Can I help you?"

"Actually, I'm here to see him." She said softly, gesturing to Matt's stiffening back.

He turned around suddenly, his face a terrible mix of joy and fear. "Ani?"

She smiled at him, "Hello, my love."

Matt smiled back, his excitement at seeing her after months overwhelming whatever had caused his initial terror. "Ani!" He was on her an instant later, lifting her off her feet and into his arms, kissing her firmly.

He'd sat her back on her feet and was brushing hair out of her face when they realized the other man had moved to stand beside them, smiling pleasantly. "Matt, who's this?"

Matt turned to face the other man, and in doing so put Anika ever so slightly protectively behind his shoulder. Anika was never one to allow others to scare her, so she stepped up to his side, holding her right hand out to the man, "Anika Donovan, I'm Matt's wife."

"Tripp Cooke." The man said, taking her hand and shaking it firmly, "Matt never mentioned a wife, and can't say I've seen you around." He smiled tightly, "I don't mean to be rude, miss, but I'm the leader of the Community Protection Program."

Matt shifted slightly, a subtle sign of aggression she knew well enough in him. Anika rested a hand on Matt's chest to calm him. She could handle herself, "I've been staying with my brother for a while. I was sick and needed more medical care than Mystic Falls could provide. Once I recovered, I stayed to return the favor for my insufferable brother. He got a one night stand pregnant." She forced a mournful grimace, "My dear niece was not with us long. My sister and I couldn't stand the atmosphere, so we've decided to do some traveling." She smiled up at Matt, "I just had to stop in and surprise Matt."

Matt kissed her chastely, but it was a very territorial gesture, "I'm so glad you did, Ani."

"Me too, especially since I have something very exciting to tell you… in private." She could hardly contain her excitement, even though she was slightly nauseated. She looked at Tripp, "Can I steal him for lunch? I'm starving, and skyr sounds great."

As soon as she'd spoken, she'd wished she hadn't. Matt froze completely, and she knew why. Skyr was a traditional dairy product that the forefathers of their community had brought with them when they'd settled in the area surrounding Mystic Falls. It was similar to what the modern producers called Greek Yogurt, but it was something she usually didn't crave. She'd craved the traditional yogurt four times before in her life.

"You're pregnant." Matt said softly, panic returning to his face under the facade he was clinging to.

Anika grabbed his chin, making him look at her, "Matt, it's okay. I'm fine. We're fine."

His eyes were wide, "Are you sure?"

She kissed him gently, smiling, "Yes. I'll explain it all later, but, Matt...it wasn't us. It was Mother. She drugged me. She did it on purpose."

"That witch. If she weren't dead, I'd kill her." He hissed after a few moments, jerking her to him. "God, Ani. Why didn't you say anything when we talked on the phone last?"

Anika rested her head on his chest, grasping the back of his shirt in her fingers, "That's not something I could say over the phone. Not when you'd react like this. I had to be with you, and I just couldn't leave my brother yet."

He chuckled, "Yeah, you're probably right."

Anika hummed, propping her chin on his chest so she could look at his face, pleased she didn't see any hint of frustration at the mention of her family. Maybe the plans she'd made with Rebekah would go better than she'd anticipated, "I saw this little cafe on the way into town, think we could go there? Their pie looked amazing."

"You don't want to go to the Grill?" Matt teased.

Anika rolled her eyes, "No, not sure they'd have me back considering how drunk I was last time I was a patron. I'm not sure I actually paid for what I drank."

Matt kissed her again, "Good thing the friendly bartender got you home safe."

"I probably would have slept face down in the parking lot it you hadn't. That would have given my sister something to laugh about for a few years." She said, totally content in his arms, glad their arguing over the phone seemed to be a thing of the past.

"You two are uh...leaving town?" Tripp said his eyes hard in his pleasant face.

Anika felt Matt tense again under her hands, but he stroked her back gently, "Well, guess whatever she wants to eat, I've got to provide!"

Tripp nodded tightly, "Makes sense. Enjoy your time with this pretty girl."

"Thank you, it was great to meet you." Anika said with a smile.

Tripp held up a staying hand, "Before you go, could I interest you in something to drink? You look a little flushed."

Anika didn't need access to her magic or her werewolf senses to tell her that he wasn't just offering her water. She shook her head, "I'm alright, really. A little skyr should perk me right up." Truthfully, she didn't trust the man, and her mother's actions all those years ago had made her wary of offerings during her pregnancy.

Matt's soothing hand on her shoulder told her she'd made the right choice, and they exited quickly. Matt only slowed down once they were in his truck, "How far along?"

"Four months." She replied softly, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, it just wasn't safe."

He scoffed, looking out the window in disgust as he started the truck's engine, "Typical."

Anika scowled at him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

His eyes snapped back at her face, "Nothing, except for the fact that your whole damn family isn't safe! Vampires aren't safe, you shouldn't be near them, especially pregnant."

Anika resisted the sudden urge to slap him, "I'm sorry, but those 'vampires' are my siblings, and in case you've forgotten, I'm half werewolf. All I want to do right now is stay close to my pack because pack means safety. The only pack I've got right now is…" She cut herself off. She'd been about to say Hope's name, but it wasn't safe yet, and they had drawn the attention of several people in the parking lot, including Tripp, who was watching them with sharp eyes. Anika set her jaw, "Please just drive."

"Fine."

Twenty minutes later they pulled up in front of the diner, and Anika was attempting to curb her temper, a hand on the bump that had seemingly appeared overnight half way to Mystic Falls, "Rebekah is inside waiting with our niece."

Matt stared at her, "Your niece? I thought she died."

"That was the point. You are now part of a very small number that know the truth, her name is Hope, and she is very much alive." Anika told him, opening the door and easing out of his truck, instinct screaming at her to get back to Hope.

If Matt followed or not, she really didn't care, shooting her sister a smile before scooping Hope up out of her car seat, "Hello little one!"

Rebekah was grinning at her, "You were gone less than two hours."

Anika nodded, rocking Hope in her arms, breathing in the baby's sweet scent, "I know, but that's forever for a pregnant werewolf. And God, that town is horrible now. Completely cut off from my magic, all my wolf instincts completely smothered. God, I felt deaf, blind, and sick the whole time."

"You're talking about my home." Matt growled from behind her.

Anika turned to him, choosing to put an apologetic expression on her face instead of snapping back at him. She really didn't want to fight. "It was my home too, Matt, long ago. I know you haven't triggered your werewolf gene in this life, but surely you can tell the difference in that place. I know our son can."

Matt went completely still, "Our son?"

She let a smile spread on her face, "Our son." Matt sat down heavily on the diner booth bench, eyes wide. "Kind of incredible, isn't it?" Anika said, sitting down next to him, Hope still in her arms, the little girl scrunching her nose up at some of Anika's hair tickling her face. "A whole new generation of Mikaelson's. Hope and our son."

"And you're sure everything is okay?" He asked, taking one of her hands in his.

Anika nodded, "Beka compelled an OB/GYN to check me out two days ago, and everything is fine." She looked up at her sister, "Would you mind handing me the…"

Rebekah waved a hand, "Yup, I've got it, hold on just a minute."

The vampire handed her sister a small square photograph after a few seconds of digging through the baby bag, and Anika handed it to Matt, "He's not as photogenic as Hope yet, but this is his first picture. I'm pretty happy with it. The technician said not all babies are so cooperative."

Matt stared at the sonogram, "I'm gonna be a dad." He shook his head in disbelief, "To a little boy." Anika nodded, and he grabbed her, kissing her deeply, "I love you so much."

Rebekah sighed dramatically, reaching between them to take Hope from Anika's arms and hold out a key, "I got you two a room at the motel on the other side of ours. Enjoy."

The couple stood quickly, Anika brushing a kiss to her sister and niece's foreheads, "Bless you, Beka. I owe you big time."

Rebekah just nodded, "Hope's next poopy nappie has your name on it."

"Deal." Anika gasped out, pulling herself away from Matt long enough to glance at the room number on the key and steer them that direction.

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Hope you liked it! Next chapter will probably be up in the next week, but I'm back at work this week and a friend of mine is getting married, so no promises!

Review please,

-Jenn


	2. Chapter 2

Man, I'm sorry 'next week' turned into 10 months later. Life and work both went crazy!

Anyway, hope you guys are still out there! I really do have some pretty exciting stuff planned for this story with large chunks already written.

Your favs and reviews keep me going!

Enjoy!

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An hour later, Matt was ready for another round, "God, I want to keep you here forever."

"I can't stay, Matt." Anika gasped, when he sucked on the side of her neck.

"Why not?" He said huskily, one hand possessively on her stomach.

"You know why." She whispered, pulling away from him slightly, feeling guilty for spoiling the mood. He had to understand though. He had to understand why she had to leave, why she couldn't stay in Mystic Falls.

His blue eyes narrowed and he pulled back as well, leaving a fair amount of space between them, "You're not talking about the hotel room are you?" She shook her head. Matt flopped back on the bed, rubbing his hands over his face, "Damnit, Anika. You're my wife, you should be with me."

"It's not safe." She replied softly, "Everyone thinks Hope is dead, Beka and I have to keep her hidden. Come with us."

"I'm not leaving my home, Anika, not now. Stay. Rebekah can protect her." Matt insisted.

Anika echoed his actions, pressing the heels of her palms against her eyes, "I know she can, but I have to stay with Hope. She's a Mikaelson witch, we're from the same werewolf bloodline. I'm pregnant, Matt, and she's an infant. We are two very vulnerable individuals by coven and pack standards, not to mention both. I need to stay with Hope or we will both have a hard time."

Matt sat up, "So we'll take care of Hope, she can live with us in Mystic Falls. No vampires can get her there, she'll be safe."

Anika sat up as well, putting a hand on his cheek, "That's so sweet of you to offer to take care of my niece like that. I really appreciate the thought, but going to find you in Mystic Falls was torture enough. Not being able to touch my magic was like suffocating. Hope would be miserable. Our son would be too."

"He has magic?" Matt asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Of course." She replied, tempering her tone so as to not make him angrier, "I'm a witch Matt, and you and I are both werewolves, regardless of wether you've triggered your gene or not. Magic is in his blood just as surely as it is in yours and mine. He's our son after all."

"Shit, Anika, I just don't feel the magic you always talk about." Matt admitted, looking down at his hands.

Anika shifted onto her knees, drawing his attention back to the swell of her stomach, "Hold my hands and close your eyes."

He frowned at her, "Isn't magic bad for the baby?"

She rolled her eyes at him, "What I'm doing can hardly be considered magic. He'll be fine, trust me. Actually might be good for him to get to feel you too."

Warily Matt took her hands.

Anika narrated as she opened the connection between them, "I worked on this a little with Beka while we were on the road. You know, building on the psychic abilities that kind of went dormant when I woke up. It was difficult with Beka, being as she's technically dead and all, but you're living and our son is inside me, so this should be easier. All I'm doing is letting my magic flirt with the magic in you. My wolf to your wolf. If your mind is open, you should be able to feel it."

After several minutes, Matt pulled his hands away, "I don't feel anything, Anika."

Anika pushed herself off the bed, more than frustrated, "Damnit, Matt! Why won't you let me in? I'm your wife, I love you, but you're so damn afraid of God knows what, that you're not even trying to bridge the gap between us! What are you so afraid of?"

Matt stared at his hands, and was silent for several minutes. More than irritated, Anika started picking up the dress he'd stripped off her not an hour and a half earlier. "Hey, Ani, wait. Let me explain, please!" He sighed, "Or at least let me try to explain."

Anika pulled her dress over her head, but sat back down on the bed, rubbing her stomach where their son was moving enough for her to feel the smallest of flutters on the inside. "I'm listening, Matt, I really am. I know I'm to blame for the distance before, but I just don't understand what is going on with you now."

Matt closed his eyes for a moment, wanting nothing more than to just pull her to his chest and not let go. He couldn't do that though, when he laid it all out there, he'd be lucky if she even wanted to speak to him again. He might be about to break her heart.

"I'm not Mathias. I've got half baked memories of him, of you, in my head, but they don't feel like mine. Everything feels second hand." Hurt flashed across her face, and he cupped a hand on her cheek, "I love you, Anika, I do, but just as Matt, not Mathias."

She regarded him critically, not leaning in like he'd hoped, "That's not it, is it?"

He swallowed hard, "No, it's not. Anika, I... I'm...shit, I'm terrified of magic. I've seen what magic can do, I've seen it destroy the lives of my friends. Your mother created vampires with magic, and vampires ruined my hometown. Mystic Falls is half the town it was before, and because of magic and lies, the unaware idiots that walk around have no idea how close they are to dying. I hate magic!"

Anika stared at him in shock. "What?"

Matt took in a ragged breath, "I hate magic, Anika. I hate everything about it. Hearing the word or thinking about it makes me crazy. I feel like I can't breathe, and my pulse races. Magic horrifies me."

Anika tried really hard not to scream at him once she'd processed what he'd said. "You hate magic? You're horrified by magic? I am magical, Matt. I'm a practicing witch and I'm a triggered werewolf, albeit a smothered one. Humans look at me, and they instinctively know I'm 'more', that there's something different about me. You used to live like that too, but my magic isn't hidden like yours is!"

"Life is better without magic, Anika…" He began, but stopped at the look on her face.

Anika was breathing heavily, staring at him with her eyes wide, color inching up her neck. "I won't do what you're suggesting, Matt, even if I knew how. I won't do myself or our son the disservice of hiding what we are just to make it easier for you to assimilate two lives."

"I'm not asking you to do that!" Matt protested.

Anika threw her hand up, shoes now in hand, "Then what are you asking me to do, Matt? Give up my magic? Won't happen. And I'd still be a werewolf. I cut the magic off, I turn. The magic is in my bones, not just my spirit. So what are you asking? Are you asking me to forsake my family? Leave my niece when she's her absolute most vulnerable? Jeopardize our son by staying away from her? I'm sorry, Matt. That just won't happen!"

Matt hung his head, "I'm not asking you to do any of that, I'm just..." He couldn't follow through, couldn't send her away like he'd intended, not now that he knew she was pregnant. Although really it didn't matter, he loved her as Matt and Mathias, and hurting her went against every fiber in him, "Just be patient with me. I'm... I'm used to people leaving and never coming back."

Anika softened infinitesimally, "I came back, Matt. I can't stay right now, but I did come back." Mirroring his earlier movements, she put a hand on his cheek, "You'd have to send me away for me to ever go and not come back. I love you. Matt, Mathias, it really doesn't matter. I love you."

Matt pulled her back into his arms, relieved the anger had dissipated, "I love you too."

Two hours later, Anika was back on the road with her sister, and Matt was walking down the hall towards Tripp's office. He stopped gene he heard Tripp on the phone. "I know, and I'm sorry, Karen. Jay was a good kid." Tripp saw Matt in the hallway, and gestured for him to come in. "I promise, you'll be the first one to know, okay?"

He hung up and sat back in the chair. "Tripp, are you okay?" Matt asked.

Tripp sat up, "No. No, I just told Jay's parents that I was the one who found their son dead in the woods last night."

Matt nodded, "I heard. Do you know what happened?"

Tripp leveled him with a dark expression, "You tell me." Matt maintained his poker face. "He went to the party with you."

Matt let his emotions get the better of him, "I-I don't know. He was drunk... I offered to give him a ride home, and he said he'd walk. I should have driven him home."

"Okay. I'm gonna give the Sheriff my statement—" Tripp stood up and gestured around, "—and try to make sense of what happened to Jay."

Matt stood, "Wait. Maybe I should go with you. I mean, I might have been the last person to see Jay alive."

Tripp stared at Matt, "Okay. Alright. Let's take a ride."

They walked out together, and Matt stayed mostly silent until they were leaving, "You and the Sheriff don't seem to get along."

Tripp nodded knowingly, "Uhh, Liz and my wife were high school rivals. Some issue about who was captain of the field hockey team."

"You're married?" Matt asked, surprised.

Tripp scoffed, "You say that like I didn't just find out this morning you have a wife of your own. I was. Yeah, Chris died in a car accident."

"Sorry." Matt whispered, imagining Anika being taken by something so mundane.

"It's alright. It's why I left Mystic Falls. Too many memories." Tripp said, shrugging.

Matt decided to probe him since he was in a seemingly talkative mood, "So, what did you tell the Sheriff about Jay?"

"Oh, just what I saw. Uh, tons of blood. Probably a mountain lion."

Matt sighed skeptically, hoping to bait Tripp, "Just another animal attack, huh?

Tripp straightened tightly, "You sound doubtful."

Matt prepared himself for "This is gonna sound weird... but, last night, Jay told me that he was tracking a vampire. I mean that's crazy, right?"

Tripp gestured to his truck, "Get in. I'm gonna show you something."

Twenty minutes later, Matt was looking up at a cabin in the woods, "What is this place?"

Tripp stared at the cabin, "A secret. A secret I only share with people I trust. You remember the gas leak in town over the summer? When I came back to make sure my grandmother was okay—first time I've been back in years. When I crossed town border, something changed. Memories came flooding back." He pulled a key out of a box, "And, I realized that my wife didn't die in a car accident. She was murdered. Drained of her blood right in front of me. And the killer made me believe I was responsible. Then, I find out what kind of monster could do all that."

Tripp opened the door to the building, and Matt found himself staring at Enzo, sitting on the ground, his wrists and ankles chained to the floor. Matt maintained his poker face, grateful Enzo didn't out him

Tripp stepped right up behind Matt, "Vampires. They are real. And one murdered my wife. One could so easily murder your wife and that baby of yours. But this is the one who murdered Jay. And I'm gonna get him to name all his vampire buddies, starting with the one who bit your new friend, Sarah."

Matt took a deep breath, steeling his resolve. He would leave Anika's family to her, as hopeless as he felt their cause was, but she couldn't blame him for helping Tripp take care of vampires who were hurting people. Tripp took his stillness as him assimilating the information he had just allegedly dropped on the younger man, but he was making a plan.

Anika wouldn't like it, but she wasn't making choices he approved of either.

He just hoped Enzo continued to keep his damned mouth shut.

* * *

Well...not the happiest chapter, but it had to happen! Some little time skips coming in the next few chapters.

Fingers crossed the next chapter comes out sooner than next summer! Eeep! But really, it shouldn't be too terribly long, I've just got to sit down and iron a few things out to connect stuff I've already written.

Let me know what you think!

-Jenn


	3. Chapter 3

Not even going to pretend I know why it's been two years...but here's chapter three! It's been written for a while, I'm not super thrilled with it, but I hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

Anika felt like she spent the next few days on the phone. Alaric was cured, Damon was pining over Elena, they had Tripp tied up, Caroline's mom was a hostage for a bit, Damon crashed a party Elena was attending to end the aforementioned pining, and Tripp was killed by Enzo but the Sheriff was rescued. The boys then went on a road trip, quizzed her all about prison worlds, and Damon tried to convince her that she should really give chili a try for Thanksgiving. She had politely declined, but had been intrigued when they started talking about freeing Bonnie from a prison world now that their first attempt with Liv had failed. She'd been checking in with Liz, Caroline's mom, every few days, and felt the need to go back when the woman described the further drama that had unfolded from Thanksgiving to the start of February. Then a week later, Damon called to share the news: Liz Forbes was dead.

They were across the country, but Anika had to go back.

Rebekah, of course, thought she was crazy. "We just left Mystic Falls six weeks ago, and you want to go back? Won't that piss Matt off?"

Anika shrugged, "Only if he finds out."

"You two are in a weird place for a supposedly happy couple." Rebekah growled, but turned the car around, "Hope, your Auntie Ani is crazy."

Anika was relieved when they made the drive back to Mystic Falls less than a week later, a few days after Liz's funeral. In those few days, a lunatic witch named Kai had been released from the prison world, Bonnie had managed to free herself, and Caroline had flipped her humanity switch. Rebekah had done her best to keep them far apart, sequestering her at the Salvatore Manor where Damon spent some time making crude jokes about her being so pregnant. And then Bonnie and Kai ended up in the Salvatore living room.

Kai was staring at Hope, "She's a cutie, much cuter than any of my younger siblings were."

Anika didn't even look up from the poultice she was making, "You even think about touching her, and her lunatic murderer of a father won't even register on your list of problems."

Rebekah snorted, "At least you admit he's a lunatic."

Anika stilled her hands and threw a smile at her sister, "Of course he is, aren't we all?"

Rebekah shrugged in agreement, "Nik takes the cake though." She eyed Kai, "It would be kind of fun to see him tear in to this little boy though."

Kai looked between them and Damon in horror, "Where the hell did you find these two freaks?"

Damon slung an arm around Anika's shoulders, "Not sure it's a case of who found who, but, besides Bonnie, Anika here is the only woman who likes this beautiful face and charming personality and hasn't slept with it. She likes blondes. Total bummer." He sniffed dramatically, "We would have made beautiful babies."

Anika rolled her eyes, gesturing to her extended stomach, "You're impossible. And a few months too late, obviously."

Bonnie stalked in with a large knife in her hands, followed closely by Elena. Anika held out the bowl she'd been working with to Bonnie, "Here, this should help your magics work together with less friction, reduce the load on you both."

Bonnie smiled tightly, "Thanks."

A few minutes later, Rebekah and Anika were alone with their niece. Rebekah sighed heavily, "Well, while you sit and wait, I'm going to take this pitstop on our sisterly road trip to partake in some of the Salvatore brother's fabulous alcohol collection."

They'd settled in to watch a movie with Hope gnawing on a toy block between them when the room suddenly seemed way too full.

Anika's eyes flicked from person to person:

Bonnie.

Elena.

Damon.

Damon's mother.

And…another male.

Rebekah had Hope in Anika's arms in a split second, and had whisked them to the far side of the room. She had the strange man pinned against the wall, eyes cut to Damon, "Who the bloody hell is this?"

"Who the hell knows, he just jumped our ride out!" Damon yelled, looking to his distraught and confused mother, "Is this pshyco one of yours?"

Lily Salvatore shook her head, "No, I've never seen him before. He's not one of my family."

A drop of blood dripped slowly from Bonnie's nose. Veins popped out beside Lily's eyes, and the man being held by Rebekah had the same response. Rebekah started adding pressure on his throat, hissing, "Who are you?"

Rebekah froze when Anika's voice croaked out, "Stop, Beka."

The vampire was staring at Anika, not her, not Bonnie and her bleeding nose, and tears were in Anika's eyes as she tucked Hope into her carseat with shaking hands. The vampire dropped to his knees, effectively breaking Rebekah's hold on him as he whispered hoarsely, "Nika? Kak?"

Anika nodded, flinging herself across the room at the man, "Ambi!" Rebekah watched in horror as Anika peppered kisses on his face before pulling his head to her chest while they both sobbed.

The man was positively clutching at Anika's cardigan, just like a little boy would. Anika soothed him the same way she did Hope, stroking her fingers through his tangled dark hair and speaking softly in their native tongue. "Oh, love, I'm here."

"Nika." He whispered into her shoulder, over and over again.

"You're okay. You'll never be alone again. I'll see to that." Anika said firmly

"Anika, who the bloody hell is this?" Rebekah snapped, grabbing Anika's arm and tugging her back.

Anika refused to take her eyes off the man, reaching towards him, "Beka, it's okay. You know him too, from a long, long time ago. Look at him. Really look."

"What?" Rebekah said, aghast, staring at him, her grip on Anika slipping as her vague human memories tugged at her, trying to place the face in front of her.

Anika threw her arms around his neck again, "Oh, Ambi, I thought you were dead and gone, sweet, sweet boy." He babbled in Russian, and she shook her head, pulling back, "I don't understand, Ambrose, please, English or uh... Norvezhskiy." She looked at her sister, panicked, "Beka, I don't know what he's saying. It's Russian, right? What is he saying?"

Rebekah blinked a couple of times, "He's telling you he loves you. I don't understand... Wait…" The memories and the name her sister was uttering clicked into place, "Ambrose?" She took a step back, "That's impossible."

"Okay, Blonde Power Twins, who is he? And how did he end up escaping a prison world with my damn mother?" Damon snapped.

"Everyone, this is Ambrose, son of Tatia." Anika hesitated, grimacing at her sister, "Truthfully, Elijah's son. Our nephew."

"What?" Those gathered shrieked, Rebekah's voice by far the loudest.

Anika sighed anxiously, rubbing her stomach where her son stirred, thrusting a limb into one of her ribs, "I didn't know until about ten months before I died. I'd confided in my brothers that I thought I was pregnant, and I'd gone to see Tatia as well. I surprised them. Ayana was there, and Ambrose was doing a spell."

"Trylleformular." He said, his deeply colored eyes blinking as he tried to follow the conversation in a language he'd only heard off and on for the last few years of his human life and the short months he'd been free as a vampire. The young witch he'd startled before he'd been tossed into the prison world had repeated the word 'spell' over and over enough times for him to make the connection.

Bonnie's eyes were latched on him, "He was a witch?"

Anika nodded, watching Damon steer his mother out of the room and Elena follow close behind, giving the witches space to air their family drama no doubt, "That's what gave him away as Elijah's son. We were the only family with magic besides your ancestor. Ayana and I barely spoke about it. Just that he needed the magic of others to work magic on his own."

Ambrose's eyes flicked down to Anika's rounded belly as if he was just now noticing the heartbeat within, and a look of amazement came to his face, "Unge?" (Young?)

Anika smiled, "Yes, Ambi."

"Rose." He replied, the 'r' rolling off his tongue.

Anika giggled, and Rebekah glared at her, "What?"

"Guess he's too old to be called Ambi any longer, or it was Ayana's doing to shroud his identity better." The witch replied. She stroked his cheek like a mother would a child, "I've grown out of Nika too, Rose."

Bonnie stared at Ambrose, "He still has magic."

Again, the blonde witch nodded, "He's a first born witch, he was incredibly powerful even as a child, more than I've ever been, more than any witch I've known." She turned to him again, "Kan jeg se?" (May I look?) He stared for a few seconds before nodding once. She looked over at Bonnie and explained, "I've been practicing my mind reading with Rebekah these last few weeks. Only works with physical contact and permission now, but that's more than the nothing I thought I'd been left with."

Anika settled onto the floor next to him where he'd truly yet to stand from, and gestured for him to come closer to her, simultaneously reaching out to take Rebekah's hand when her younger sister drew nearer. "May I?" Bonnie asked.

"You'll need to bring your own magic to help me carry the two of you, myself, and my baby into his mind." Anika told her. "Are you up for that?"

"I can do that. The spell took a lot out of me, but this should be fine." Bonnie replied, intent on figuring out how Anika used her magic so organically, like it was an extension of herself and only rarely using actual spells.

"Here it goes then." Anika said, placing a dainty hand on Ambrose's stubbled cheek an instant before everything around them faded away:

 _"Ambrose!" Tatia shrieked, desperately searching for her newborn son. She entered the tent of the old witch Ayana and froze, speaking in Old Norse with a sharp voice that sounded wrong coming out of her lovely mouth, "What are you doing with my son, you old hag?"_

 _Ayana smiled down at the infant boy, "He's strong, Tatia, like his father. But Danil was never this gentle and he never had even a hint of magic."_

 _"What do you know of my dead husband?" Tatia snapped, fingers trembling as she reached towards her child, her beautiful face pale._

 _The little boy seemed unconcerned, reaching his tiny hands blindly out to grasp the ends of one of Ayana's long thick braids. Ayana laughed softly, pulling her hair out of his grip, "Careful, child. Your life is in my hands. You'd do best not to anger me." Her words were meant for both mother and child, but she drew her old eyes up to Tatia, "Danil is not this child's father, pretty little whore. You bed one of Esther's sons. No one can blame you for lusting after any of those boys, carrying a child of theirs to term, but in doing so, you damned your child. If you speak of his parentage to anyone, you will lose him, Tatia."_

 _"You would harm my son?" Tatia asked, voice trembling._

 _Ayana shook her head, looking back down at him, "No, I would like to teach him, to keep the secret and protect his life. No one else here must ever know he has magic, it betrays that he is not Danil's son, and that will bring about the end of his life. He must never call one of Esther Mikaelson's sons 'father'."_

 _Tatia froze, a look of resigned horror on her face, "You mean I can never tell Elijah that my son is his?"_

 _Ayana's eyes were cold as she looked at the young woman, "Never, Tatia. That boy can never know he is this child's father, no one can, not even our dear Anika."_

 _"Ani wouldn't tell anyone." Tatia protested._

 _Ayana shook her head again, "Grief contorts us to the depths of our souls, Tatia, and Anika will know much grief through her life. She would not mean to, but she would tell your secret eventually, after so many years of secret keeping that you trusted her implicitly. This is a secret we must keep, the two of us alone. The child is best thinking that your role as a doppelgänger is the reason for his magic and that his father is dead."_

 _"You wish me to lie to my son for his entire life. Is there no alternative?"_

 _"No, the only other alternative is that you lose your son forever. We both know you would die before you saw harm come to him. You may have forsaken your marriage bed to create him, but your love for this child outshines all sins." Ayana told her, brushing a finger over Ambrose's pale cheek as he began to drift to sleep._

 _Tatia nodded, "I would die for him." She locked eyes with the witch, "I will die for him, won't I?"_

 _A tight smile graced Ayana's face, "That's your choice, but the spirits indicate that your time is coming. Like the others of your kind who have come before you, you will not live to see your child become a man."_

 _Tatia eased her son back into her arms, "Then I will do all I can to protect him while I'm living because he is my life. You will help me?"_

 _"Yes, child, I've already started. I've cast a spell on him, for protection. So long as the secret holds, none who wish to harm him will be able to find him, and until he takes his last breath, his magic will be purely his own. Do as you're told, and your son will be safe from the evil that seeks his blood." Ayana told her gently, one hand on the young mother's arm, "Go, Anika will be looking for you soon, and she cannot find you here."_

The scene faded into another one, again with Tatia's face panicked:

 _"Ambrose, my love, stay right here." Tatia told her child, now a boy of four or five._

 _"Mama!" He cried, reaching for her skirts._

 _Tatia pulled him off, "No, darling, you must stay here. Wait until I return. Please, be a good boy."_

 _"Nika!" He screamed, and Tatia's face contorted in grief._

 _"She's gone, my love, she and Mathias are both gone. Ayana was right, grief destroyed your Auntie. She's gone and she won't come back to us." Tatia pulled the boy into her arms, breathing in his boyish scent, holding something close to his mouth and nose that made his vision swim as his mother whispered, "Darkness is coming, Ambrose. I must protect you from it."_

 _"Tatia." Came a voice from outside the little house, the voice of Esther Mikaelson._

 _"I love you so much." Tatia whispered to her son, setting him down on the cot he slept upon, revealing that she'd used a bundle of herbs to put him to sleep, herbs from Anika's home. She composed herself and opened the door, "I just put Ambrose down for the night, what can I help you with, Esther?"_

The vision faded again as Tatia left and Ambrose slipped completely out of consciousness, but when sight returned, it appeared to only be days later:

 _"Come, boy, bid your mother safe travels, we must be gone soon." Ayana snapped at the child who stood holding his mother's limp hand behind the Red Door._

 _"You will care for him?" Tatia whispered, her voice weak, wounds at her throat bleeding sluggishly._

 _"Yes." Ayana whispered, "As if he were my own. We will leave this place. Esther will not harm him. The evil will not find him. You can rest."_

 _"I'm dying." Tatia said, her eyes unfocused._

 _"Yes." The witch whispered again, "Between your child's father and Esther, you have very little blood left." Indifference settled onto her face, "You will die shortly. There's nothing that can be done."_

 _A delirious smile sat on Tatia's ashen face, "I shall see Anika again and Ambrose will be safe from those monsters, I shall take death with honor."_

 _"The man you love still exists behind the monster, Tatia. I was wrong before. One day, he will know his son as you wished, Anika will make sure of that. The secret will be kept for a long time still though." Ayana spoke gently._

 _Tatia's smile grew even more mad, her face impossibly pale, "Two can keep a secret if one is dead."_

 _The boy sniffled at her side, confused and too young for the words to make any sense to him. Ayana urged him closer with a non-too gentle hand, "Kiss your mother, boy. Your face should be the last she sees, one she loves will all her fickle heart."_

 _Ambrose crawled to his mother's side and lay there until Tatia stopped breathing, her last gasped words, "I love you, Ambrose Elijahson, forever."_

 _Ayana ignored his cries as she pulled him away from his mother's corpse. "Your grandmother will return soon, we must be far away. Should she find you, young master, she will wish to kill you, as she's already killed your mother and your aunt."_

The next vision showed a much older Ambrose, a teenager rolling a ball of water between his long fingers idly, looking out a window that reflected his face for the voyeurs to see. Even then his resemblance to Elijah was unmistakable, and when he spoke, his voice held nearly the same timber as his father's:

 _"I want to go out, Ayana." He said in Russian, watching the snow fall, runes of power etched into the flesh of his arms, applied by Ayana to let him share in her magic now that her body was too old to sustain even the most simple of spells._

 _The witch, white haired and wrinkled, scowled at him from across the table, "No, Ambrose. We were not made for this kind of cold, you know that. I have not raised you for the last thirteen odd years to let you take a cold and die now."_

 _He let the water slip through his fingers, the liquid pooling at the bottom of the bowl beneath his hands. "I could do a spell to keep warm, Ayana, as I always do. Why can I not go out today?" He asked, his tone petulant before he added softly, "Natalia relies on me to bring her and the others food. They could die if I don't help them."_

 _"They won't die from one day without food, boy. You feed them well enough." Ayana told him, holding out a package out to him. "Happy birthday, Ambrose."_

 _He stared at the package, obviously mystified at it's existence, "You've never given me a gift on my birthday before."_

 _Ayana shrugged, "I'll be dead before the next one comes around. Open it, boy."_

 _He opened the package with the flick of one finger, and pulled out a bundle of black leather, metal glinting in the light. "What is it?" He asked softly._

 _"It was your mothers. I spelled it larger for you, so you'll have to be careful not to put too much stress on it. You're a gentle boy though, just be mindful." Ayana explained, grimacing at a pain in her hip as she stood from their table._

 _Ambrose threw his arms around her neck, "Thank you, Ayana, thank you so much."_

 _"Your father gave it to her as a courting gift, she wore it everyday until the day she died." She continued._

 _Ambrose visibly froze for a beat before pulling back, "You never talk about my father."_

 _"If the secret dies with me it can't protect you. You are eighteen years old now, and I'm will not be around much longer. You've heard his name before, the last words on your mother's lips, in fact. Search your memories, boy." Ayana spoke the last as a command, and for several minutes Ambrose stood still, his eyes glazed over until tears started to fill them._

 _He blinked the tears away, "Elijah. My father's name is Elijah."_

 _Ayana's features were tight, but she smiled at him, "There you have it. Go feed the girl child and her friends if you wish, but be back by dark. You really will catch your death if you stay out past then."_

The vision skipped what appeared to be just a couple of months, water dripped sluggishly outside the window as Ambrose covered Ayana's body with a sheet, sobbing as he performed the traditional spells done after death for a witch of her standing.

It moved quickly, and Anika could feel that they were all becoming weary. Bonnie had already put herself through a lot for a single evening. They had to see it though, how Ambrose had become a vampire:

 _"I rather like this one, he's handsome." A female voice drawled in Old Norse. The blindfold was taken off his eyes, and a young woman looked back at him, an evil grin on her face, which had the dark lines around her face that denoted her as a vampire, "Oh, look, brother. They've marked him as a witch. That should be fun. He might make the whole room shake while we tear him apart."_

Anika threw them out of the visions moments later when the unknown young woman and her brother started tearing into Ambrose. She stood quickly, muttering in Norse before rushing to the nearest trash can and vomiting.

* * *

I'd like to think all of this made sense...if it didn't, feel free to ask questions!

-Jenn


End file.
